Atomizing nozzle



Sept. 30, 1952 F. KURATA 2,612,406

ATOMIZING NOZZLE Filed Aug. 12, 1948 2 SHEETS SHEET 1 Laterallyextending terminal portion 3 of spring member contains an aperture 9 indirect alignment with the axis of orifice 7 and chamber 6 of the nozzle.A valve member ID, preferably having a conically-shaped terminal or endportion I I and an elongated stem portion l2, extends throughjape'rture3 and fits tightly therein. Terminal portion of valve member I may be ofspherical shape without departing from the scope of this invention.

Abracket I3 is rigidly fastened tothe spring member adjacent terminalportion 3 by bolts M or any other suitable means and a portion l5thereof extends laterally over the valve stem l2. The'laterallyextending portion I5 of the bracket l3 contains an aperture IS in directaxial alignment with aperture 9 and discharge orifice 1. The aperture l6receives an adjusting screw I! which may be maintained in any desiredposition by a lock nut 8. The adjusting screw conjf'tacts the end of thevalve stem l2 and seats the ironically-shaped endportion l upon thedischarge'or'ifice with any desired degree of force. When in position,the conical terminal portion H of valve member I0 is seated incylindrical orifice 1 to form a continuous line or knife edge'contactbetween the'surface. of terminal portion and'the outer edge of the mouthof orifice'L, When seated and when-in vibration,

valve member I0 is axially aligned with, and

I perpendicular to the plane formed by the mouth -"of,.orifi'ce l6.

Inorder to secure a rapid vibration of valve member |0 upon its seat inthe outlet orifice I, 1 a resonant system is set up in which the massof-thespring member and elements attached therewith are balancedagainstthe resiliency of thespring so that the system will vibrate freelyinalongitudinal direction when as may be demonstrated, for example, bystriking it a sharp blow. In actual operation the size of orifice 1,

- Lthestrength of spring and the mass of spring j and valve member Illare so .co-related to one ;another that the, passage of liquid underpres- .-.sure;through the nozzle orifice l supplies a force in correctphase relationship to the resonant System so that. the same-ismaintained in forced vibration. The rapid vibration of the valve memberID upon the discharge orifice l breaks up the liquid into aspray-likefo'rm.

Q. ;.In general the greater the mass of the vibratory part, thelowerwill be the frequency of vibration, and the greater the spring force,the higher ,will be the frequency of vibration. The

frequency of vibration will also tend to increase withan increase ofliquid pressure at the source, but, this factor is, usually'not asimportant as the mass of the spring and the parts associated 1 therewithand the spring tension.

Thus it is seen that byvarying and balancingthef'co-"aoting forces, theoperable limits of thedevice may be widely changed and anydesired'degree' of atomization of the liquid can be procured. 'fF'ormost practical purposes, the

' "frequency of vibration will be maintainedwithin the'audio "range,and, forexample, frequencies of 60 to several thousand cycles per secondmay T 'be cited.

i f'Figure 3 of the drawings illustrates a modificationf in which therapid vibration of the valve member is produced by a helical spring. Ac-7 fz cordingfto Figure-'3, numeral 20 designates a body portionofanydesired shape, preferably 'cylindrica'lf having a chamber 2|therein and a threaded end section 24'; A discharge orifice or aperture23. passes through end section 24 in open communication with internalchamber 2| Chamber 2| and aperture 23 are preferably cylinders ofcircular cross-section and are axially aligned. In the preferredembodiment of the device shown in Figure 3, chamber 2| narrows by themeans of a conical or beveled section 22 to aperture, 23 in ordertominimize frictional threaded is screwed on to threaded end section theouter edge of discharge orifice 23.

. forated disk 31.

24 of body portion 20. A valve member 21 having a valve head 28 islocated centrally within chamber 2| with the valve head 28 seated onThat portion of valve head 28 which seats in orifice 23 is preferablyconical as indicated by numeral 29. Valve head 28 may be sphericallyshaped without departing from the scope of this invention. I

An important feature of the nozzle is the seating of theconically-shaped valve head 28 onthe outer edge of the mouth of orifice23 to make a line contact or a knife edge contact. Suchcontact is incontrast to surface contact which would result if the outer edge oforifice 23had conically-shaped sides parallel to sides '29 of valve head28. Other important features of orifice 23 and valve head 28 will'bediscussed hereinafter.

Valve member 21 contains an end section 3| which extends from valvehead. 28 as shown. A cylindrical-helical spring 32. surrounds endsection 3| and seats on a'flanged washer. 30 on the shoulder of valvehead 28. The other end of spring 32 fits in recess 33 and pressesagainst housing or cap 26. In this manner, valve member 21 is urgedtowards orifice 23 andv valve head 28 is seated therein. The housing orcap 26 contains a plurality of openings 34 forthe emission of the sprayor fog from the cap.

Chamber 2| is recessed at 36 to receive a per- Member 31 has an opening38 centrally located. therein through which valve stem 21 is inserted.The clearance between the walls of opening 38' and valve stem 21 issumcient to allow free movement of the valve member 27 ina longitudinaldirection while restricting its transverse movement. Chamber 2|",orifice 23, valve stem 21, and opening 38 are axially aligned.

The end of body portion 20 opposite orifice 23 is open and internallythreaded to receive a plug I 39. Plug 39 is screwed into threadedchamber 2| to hold guide member 36 in a fixed position by means of aconventional gasket 4|. Plug 39 is also internally threaded to receive athreaded conduit 42 transmitting liquid under pressure to chamber 2|.

In operation, the size of'the outlet orifice 23, the strength of thespring 32 and the mass of the spring 32 and valve member 2'! are socorelated to one another and to a given liquid pressure within chamber2| that valve member 2'! is maintained in forced vibration as 'part of aresonant system. Liquid passes through orifice 23 and is transformedinto a fine spray or fog which passes from inside cap 26"throughopenings, such as openings 34, tothe surrounding area. Openings 34 may bangularl 1- l'ecting inch'gage'. Curve B represents the results. of theP 1 most efficient commercial nozzle at 3000 pound per square inch gage.The curves of Figure 4 show that at Q pounds per square inch gage 64 percent of the brine sprayed remained in suspension after spraying for oneminute with the vibrating type nozzle of this invention and lessthan 11per cent of the'brine sprayed remained in suspension after spraying forone minute with the most efiicient commercial nozzle. "At 5000 poundspersquare inch gage with the-vibrating type nozzle 93'per centofthebrinesprayed remained in suspension after spraying for one minute. After tenminutes' of'settling at 3000 pounds per square inch gage, '27 per centof the brine sprayed by the vibrating type nozzle was still insuspension as compared to 4 per cent of the brine sprayed by the mostefiicient commercial nozzle. Figure 4, gives a measurement of the amountofv liquid atomized by. the nozzles compared and indirectly a comparisonof the fineness of the spray particles,

Various alterations and modifications of the nozzles illustrated, suchas the size, shape, and the type of spring,. may become apparent tothose skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention. Various uses of the nozzle and its principle of operation arecontemplated such as for the use in'humidification, emulsification, milkspraying, spray drying, fuel 'in its normal span of movement in asubstantially longitudinal direction'along the axis of said orifice andhaving a closed'terminal portion-terminating adj acent said'orifice' andseated 'onthe injection, spray painting, powder metallurgy, surfacecooling, fire extinguishing, distillation, etc. The vibrating principleof the nozzle in atomizing liquids has its obvious application as anintegral part of equipment and appliances, such as, oil burners,internal combustion engines, fire extinguishers, etc. In any of theseinstances the nozzle portion of the apparatus is defined by the variousassociated parts necessary to produce a vibratingaction ofa valvemember, the result of which vibrating action atomizes the liquid.

It is understood that the essence of the present invention is the.employment of a vibrating member for atomizing of a liquid, and it isrealized that there are many available ways other than thosespecifically disclosed herein for bringing about the desired results. v

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An atomizing nozzle comprising a body portion having achamber withinsaid body portion; a conduit supplying liquid under pressure to saidchamber; an outlet orifice of smaller dimensions communicating with saidchamber; a bow spring rigidly attached to said body portion, said bowspring extending over said outlet orifice, said bow spring having anaperture therethrough aligned with said outlet orifice; a valve memberextending through said aperture and seating in said outlet orifice; andan adjusting screw urging said valve member towards said outlet orificeassociated with a bracket rigidly attached to said bow spring, thearrangement being such that said valve member is maintained in forcedrapid vibration bythe pressure of said liquid acting on a resonantsystem comprising said spring and parts associated therewith. I

2. An atomizing nozzle comprising in combination a bodyportion having achamber within said body portion and a. stationary outlet orifice havingan edged seat and .of substantially smaller cross-sectional dimensionthan said chamber, a movable valve member adapted to freely move edgedseat of said outlet orifice, said'terminal portion having a maximumdiameter not greater than 1 times the diameter ofthe orifice .and

an apex angle between about 60 and about 150 at its point of, seating onsaid orificepand a spring urging said movable-valve member firmly intothe seat of said outletnorifice. 1

3. An atomizing nozzle comprising in combination a body portion. havinga chamber .within said body portion and-a stationary outlet-orificehaving an edged seat and of substantially smaller cross-sectionaldimension than said chamber, a movable valve member adapted to freelymove in its normal span of movement-in a substantially longitudinaldirection along the axis ofsaid orifice and having a closed terminalportion-seated on the edged seat of i said outlet orifice,"- saidterminal portion having a maximum diameter not greater than 1% times thediameter of the orifice and an apex angle between about 60 and about 150at its point of seating on said orifice, and a U-shaped bow springhaving substantially parallel legs urging said moveable valve memberfirmly into the seat of said outlet orifice.

' 4. An atomizing nozzle comprising in combination a body portion havinga chamber within said body portion and a stationary outlet orificehaving an edged seat, a moveable valve member adapted to freely move ina direction substantially perpendicular to said outlet orifice andhaving a closed terminal portion ofa diameter not greater than about 3 2of an inch greater than the diameter of said orifice and seated on theedged seat of said outlet orifice and a spring positioned externallyofsaid chamber of said body portion urging said moveable valve membertowards saidoutlet orifice.

6. An atomizing nozzle comprising in combination a body portion having achamber within said body portion, a stationary cylindrical outletorifice and a converging passageway in the form of a to cone leadingfrom said chamber to said orifice, said orificebeing between'about 1 andA; of an inch in length and between about ,4 and about inch in diameterand smaller in diameter than any preceding passageway-of said bodyportion, a moveable valve member adapted to freely vibrate in a.direction substantially'perpendicular to said orifice and having aclosed terminal portion in the form of a cone having an apex anglebetween about 60 and about and a diameter of not more than a: of an inchlarger than the diameter of said. outlet? orifice seated in saidcylindrical :outlet orifice and a spring urging said moveable valvemember towards said orifice. J

7. An atomizing nozzle comprising in combination a body portion having achamber within said body portion, a stationary cylindrical outletorifice and a converging passageway in the form of said orifice beingbetween about "1 6 and /4 of an inch in length and between about 4 andabout /2 inch in diameter and smaller in diameter than any precedingpassageway of said body portion, a moveable valve member adapted tofreely move in a direction substantially perpendicular to said orificeand having a closed terminal portion in the form of a cone having anapex angle between about 60 and about 150 and a diameter of not morethan 4 5 of an inch larger than the diameter of said outlet orificeseated in said cylindrical outlet orifice and a spring urging saidmoveable valve member towards said orifice.

8. In an atomizing nozzle containing a closed moveable valve memberseated on the edge of an orifice of said nozzle by the pressure of aspring, the method for improving the atomization of said nozzle whichcomprises supplying to said nozzle a liquid at a substantially constantpressure between about 100 and about 6000 pounds per square inch gage,vibrating aid move able valve member in a direction substantiallyperpendicular to the mouth of said Orifice at a frequency of at least 60cycles per second by using only the force supplied by the liquid undersubstantially constant pressure, and passing liquid through said orificewhereby the liquid is atomized by the vibration of the moveable valvemember.

9. In an atomizing nozzle containing a closed moveable valve memberseated on the edge of a cylindrical outlet orifice of said nozzle by thepressure of a spring, said valve member having a valve head not greaterthan 1 times the di- 10 ameter of the cylindrical outlet orifice, themethed for atomizing a liquid by said nozzle which comprises supplyingto said nozzle a liquid at a substantially constant pressure betweenabout 2000 and about 6000 pounds per square inch gage, vibrating saidmoveable valve member in a direction substantially perpendicular to themouth of said orifice at a frequency of at least cycles per second byusing only the force supplied by the liquid under substantially constantpressure, and passing liquid through said orifice whereby the liquid isatomized by the vibration of the moveable valve member.

FRED KURATA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 943,780 Hughes Dec. 21, 19091,088,318 Bicakly Feb. 24, 1914 1,595,625 Scott Aug. 10, 1926 1,609,578Scott Dec. 7, 1926 1,893,457 Tartrais Jan. 3, 1933 2,119,966 Scott June7, 1938 2,172,556 Edwards Sept. 12, 1939 2,272,094 Murphy Feb. 3,.19422,422,059 Wilber June 10, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date16,317 Great Britain Aug. 1, 1908 of 1908

